1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to semiconductor devices and, more specifically, to semiconductor devices having test element groups for testing characteristics of a device at a chip region.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a plurality of chip regions are defined on a wafer and an integrated circuit is formed at each of the chip regions in order to fabricate a semiconductor device. When a fabrication process is completed, characteristics of a device are tested so as to detect whether the device operates normally. Thus, a test element group is formed at a predetermined region of a wafer to test electrical characteristics of the semiconductor device. Chip regions into which the semiconductor chip is divided are conventionally separated from each other by a predetermined distance. A space between the chip regions is called a “scribe region”. The test element group includes various kinds of test elements to test several electrical characteristics.
FIG. 1 illustrates a typical semiconductor device. Referring to FIG. 1, a plurality of main chips are formed on a wafer. A space between chip regions 2 is a scribe region 4 which separates the chip regions from each other after a fabricating process is completed. A plurality of test regions 6 are ordinarily disposed at the scribe region 4 to test electrical characteristics of the semiconductor device in the wafer.
FIG. 2 is a view showing a conventional arrangement of a test element group in a semiconductor device. Referring to FIG. 2, a test element group 10 having a plurality of test patterns is disposed at a scribe region 4 between chip regions 2. A plurality of test pads 12 are disposed at both sides of the test element group 10. The test pads 12 are connected to any test element constituting the test element group 10 through interconnections 14. Main pads 8 for inputting/outputting electrical signals to a chip region are disposed at edges of the chip regions 2.
Although wide scribe regions are needed to divide semiconductor devices in the background art, there is a desire to decrease a width of the scribe region consistent with advances in developing precise apparatuses. However, in the conventional semiconductor devices, test pads are disposed at both sides of a test element group, so that it is difficult to decrease a width of the scribe region.